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Serbia's handmade sweaters go from tradition to trend

Jelena Djukic-Pejic om Sirogojno, Serbia
November 8, 2024

Traditional handmade sweaters from the tiny village of Sirogojno, in western Serbia, have been known worldwide since the 1960s. Today, fashion designers are taking inspiration from these colorful woolen garments and giving them a modern spin.

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In a tiny village in the Zlatibor Mountains, in western Serbia,knitting a specific type of sweater has been a tradition for centuries. Decades ago, almost every woman born in Sirogojno would start knitting at a very early age, even before starting school. 

The colorful sustainable sweaters, made from locally sourced wool, gained global recognition in the 1960s when a local designer started a production workshop. Soon after that, different personalities started getting a taste for these handmade garments. 

Even though there are fewer knitters in Sirogojno these days, the craft has been kept alive. A fashion designer from Belgrade has now given these sweaters a modern touch. They can be purchased in stores all over the world from Japan, to Canada, the US and several European countries.

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